Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
Court of Appeal sitting in Ado Ekiti, has sacked the Owa of Odo Ayedun, Oba Ilesanmi Ajibade, over lopsided selection process leading to his emergence.
The court upheld the decision of the state High Court, which nullified the selection and appointment of Oba Ajibade.
In a unanimous decision, yesterday, the court held that the state government erred to have cancelled the first selection process and immediately ordered for a fresh one since it has no absolute powers in law to do so.
In a verdict read by Justice E. O. Dawodu-williams, the court validated the first selection process held on November 2, 2009, which produced Prince Kunle Adeniyi, an assistant director in the state Ministry of Information as Owa of Odo Ayedun Ekiti
Justice Dawodu Williams, who resolved all the issues formulated for determination in the case against the appellant and in favour of the respondent, Prince Adeniyi Adekunle, affirmed the lower court judgement on the obaship tussle.
The court further held that there was no evidence before the court which showed that the selection process that produced the claimant was marred by violence as alleged by the appellant and dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.